Method and apparatus for utilizing high-frequency sound waves



Dec. 10, 1929. w. CLAYPOOLE 1,738,565

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING HIGH FREQUENCY SOUND WAVES Filed July18, 1927 1M Walter Clay od Patented Dec. 10, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE- WALTEB CLAYYOOLE, OF FOREST HILLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO TfifiTEXAS COH- V PANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE mnonAND APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING HIGH-FEEQUENCY SOUND WAVES Application filedJuly 18,

A primaryobject of the present invention is to provide a method andmeans for producing and applying high frequency sound waves ofsufiicient intensity to enable their use in various ways to eiiectbeneficial physical changes. It has been discovered that where highfrequency waves of this kind are apphed to a mixture of liquids or of aliquid and a solid the mixture will be transformed into a permanentemulsion. Thus if a quantity of mercury is placed in a vessel containingwater and the mixture is subjected to high frequency sound waves, whichare preferably above the range of audibility and which are 16 ofsufficient intensit the mercury will. be finelydivided and tributedthrough the water in the form of a permanent colloidal solution.Similarly if parafline is placed on water and subjected to waves of thischaracter it will be distributed in such a way as to form a permanentemulsion.

One-special beneficial use to which this effect of high frequency wavesmay be put is in the production of a permanent emulsion of sulphur incutting oils. A small quantity of sulphur has been found desirable inconnection with oils of this character employed for machine tools andthe like, but difficulties have been experienced in the past in the wayof maintaining the sulphur content in permanent emulsion when the canscontaining the mixture are stored for any length of time. The presentinvention, therefore, contemplates a method for producing permanentsuspension of sulphur particles in a body of oil so that even after aconsiderable period of storage the oil will still be in a condition forits intended purposes.

In the application of sound waves for the purposes above specifieddifliculties have been encountered in the way of providing acommercially feasible process due to the relatively small body of liquidon which the waves could be made to take effect. The peculiar propertiesof the waves have been found to e sufiiciently effective only within arelatively small distance from the source from which the waves areemitted. 'An important feature of the present invention, therefore, hasbeen to create a method as well as an 1927. Serial No. 206,443.

apparatus for dealing with larger bodies of liquid without necessitatingthe use of a large number of sound wave emitting sources. To this endthe invention contemplates a con tinuous process whereby the liquid ormixture in the course of flowing through a portion of the apparatus willbe subjected to the influence of the emitted waves as a result of whicha permanent emulsion will be formed. The invention may also be utilizedfor the purpose of cracking or converting higher boiling oils into lowerboiling oils. It is contemplated that suflicient ener may be employed inmaintaining the igh frequency waves to brin about the necessary breakingup of the molecular structure for this purose. Vv'ith these and otherincidental obects in view one form of the inventionmay now beparticularly described with reference to the accompanying drawing whichforms a part hereof.

The single view illustrates diagrammatically means for generating highfrequency sound waves and for applying them to a com tinuous stream ofliquid to be emulsified. In the drawing there is disclosed a vacuum tube1 which may be taken as the source of the continuous series of highfrequency electrical wayes which preferably have a frequencyconsiderably above the range of audibility for sound waves. A piezoelectric crystal 2 is preferably inserted in the grid circuit of thevacuum tube for the purpose of establishing a fixed frequency which, asis well known, will be substantially the same as the 85 natural orresonant frequency of the crystal itself. The usual form of oscillatingcircuit may be adopted and may comprise, as shown, an inductance 3 and avariable condenser 4 arranged in parallel in the plate circuit which issupplied by a suitable source of current such as the battery designated5. The plate circuit is suitably connected to the termlnals 6 of a highpower amplifier 7 of any desired and satisfactory construction. Inparallel with the platecircuit there may preferably be provided acapacity 8, althou h this is not essential and may be omitted ifdesired. The filament of the vacuum tube may, as shown, be heated bycurrent from a battery 9.

In the amplifier 7 the electrical waves hav- ,may be made of anysuitable material, such as quartz, and base natural or resonantfrequency substantially the same as that of the crystals 2. As is wellknown the efiect of the alternating electric stress acting on thecrystal 11 is to set the latter into vibration and when the natural orresonant frequency of the crystal is substantially the same as thefrequency of the electrical waves imposed upon it the vibrations will beof considerably greater magnitude than if these frequencies werematerially different. These vibrations of the crystal 11 will,therefore, set up high frequency sound waves in the surrounding medium,which waves will preferably be of such frequency as to be out of therange of audibility. Borrthe purpose of treating a liquid in the mannerhereinbefore specified, the crystal llmay be inserted in an enlargedortion 12 of a tube 13. The construction is preferably such that thearea of cross section of the open passage surrounding the crystal willbe substantially the same as the area of a cross section through anormal portion of the tube.

In operation the liquid or mixture to be treated and which willpreferably have been agitated sufliciently to create a temporarysuspension of the sulphur particles'may enter at the end 14: of the tubeand flow in the direction indicated by the arrow through the largeportion 12 and to the opposite end 15 into a container.- The sulphurbefore being mixed with the oil will preferably be heated to a certainextent. This heating may be to the extent of introducing it in liquidform or even in vapor form in which case flowers of sulphur will beformed. Upon passing the crystal 11 the liquid mixture will be subjectedto the effects of the constantly emitted high frequency sound waves withthe result that -a permanent emulsion will be created of the liquids orliquid and solid entering the tube 14.

The rate of flow of the mixture through the tube 13 may be regulated inany suitable way so that it will be subjected to the influence of thesound waves for a sufiicient'period to insure complete emulsification.This may vary to a certain extent depending upon the nature of theconstituents of the mixture. In

order to permit a greater eed of flow past the crystal the mixture may epartly or completely recycled or several crystals may be arranged inseries so that the mixture will pass them successively. An increase involume "disclosed herein without departing of output may also beeffected by arranging several tubes and crystals in parallel.

It will be understood that many modifications may be made in the form ofa paratus 'om the spirit'of the present invention'a nd that the novelmethod of treating liquids is not limited to the particular use whichhas been explained. The invention will be found to be of considerableutility in all eases where it is desired to create a permanentsuspension of solid or liquid-particles in a body of liquid. Theinvention may also be utilized in the performance of other physicalelfects upon bodies of liquid such as may be brought about by the vertedinto lower boiling oils. The invention is to be understood as limitedonly by the scope of the claims which follow.

What-I claim is a 1. A method of changing the physical characteristicsof fluid bodies which comprises the generation of high frequency soundwaves above the range of audibility in a restricted passage andcontinuously conducting a stream of fluid through said-passage.

2. A method of changing the physical characteristics of fluid bodies.which comprises the generation of high frequency electrical waves, theconversion of'said electrical waves into sound waves above the range ofaudibility, and continuously passing a stream of fluid in proximity tothe sound wave emitting source. a

3. A method of creating a permanent emulsion which comprises thegeneration of high frequency electrical waves, the conversion of saidwaves into sound waves above the range of audibility, and the continuouspassage in proximity to the source of said sound waves, of a mixture ofconstituents to be emulsified.

4. A method of creating a permanent emulsion which comprises thegeneration of high frequency electrical waves, the amplification of saidelectrical waves to high intensity, the conversion of said waves-intosound waves above the audible range, and the continuous passage inproximity to the source of said sound waves of a mixture of consituentsto be emulsified.

5. In apparatus for the production of physical effects upon fluid bodiesmeans for setting up high frequency electrical waves, means forconverting said electrical waves into sound waves, and means forconducting a fluid to be treated in proximity to the source of saidsound waves.

6.111 apparatus for the production of said means including a vacuum tubeand an oscillating circuit, means for maintaining a fixed frequency insaid circuit, means for converting said electrical waves into soundwaves, said converting means includin a piezo electric crystal having anatural requency substantially the same as that of the electrical waves,and means for conducting a fluid to be treated in proximity to thesource of said sound waves.

7. In apparatus for the production of physical effects upon fluid bodiesmeans for setting up high frequency electrical waves, means foramplifying said waves, means for converting said amplified electricalwaves into sound waves, and means for conducting a fluid to be treatedin proximity to the source of said sound waves.

8. In apparatus for creating a permanent emulsion means for producinghigh frequency sound waves above the range of audibility, and means forconducting a mixture to be emulsified in proximity to said sound waveemitting means.

5 9. In an emulsifying device a fluid conduit, a vibratory body locatedwithin the conduit and means for vibrating the body.

10. In an emulsifying device a fluid conduit, a vibratory body locatedWithin the conduit and means for vibrating the body at such highfrequency as not to emit audible sound waves.

11. The method of treating fluids which comprises passing them in astream through a restricted passage and subjecting said stream intransit to high frequency vibrations above the audible limit.

In witness whereof I have hereutno set my hand this 9th day of July,1927.

. WALTER OLAYPOOLE.

